


Devil In The Kitchen

by MiniNephthys



Category: Shin Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, 真女神転生IV | Shin Megami Tensei IV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-31
Updated: 2013-08-31
Packaged: 2017-12-25 05:43:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/949311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aleph's family is special for many reasons.  For one thing, they're four brothers living on their own.  For another thing, all four of them can see demons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Devil In The Kitchen

**Author's Note:**

> So there's this [Pixiv comic](http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=manga&illust_id=38188727) which is amazing and I can't understand a word of, but it inspired this and it has the cutest faces so you should look at it.

Aleph's family is special for many reasons.

For one thing, they're four brothers living on their own. Kazuya and Aleph are fraternal twins: Kazuya is older by a few minutes but Aleph was blessed with their father's height, and so even their siblings mix up their ages. Naoki is the middle child, and Flynn, who now that he's grown is taller than even Aleph, is the youngest. Their parents are long gone.

For another thing, all four of them can see demons.

Their parents denied having the ability, told Aleph and Kazuya that they were hallucinating, and so they simply thought it was a twin thing until Naoki came along and asked what those fairies were that were hovering around his bed. Since Mother and Father would still deny it, the twins taught their younger brother how to recognize the good demons and stay away from the bad ones.

Father left during Mother's last pregnancy and Mother left the world shortly after it, leaving them to raise Flynn and teach him not to say anything about the dogs and cats and the people who visited their home on their own accord to anyone but them. To this day Flynn has a habit of, upon meeting a new person, checking to see if anyone 'normal' has recognized their presence.

There are a few exceptions: Naoki's almost-friend Dante seems to be able to see them, though they haven't asked him outright yet on account of Naoki not being willing to admit that he's more than acquaintances with him. A young man in a hat and with a cat has also passed by a few times, and commented about the demons around the house much like one would comment about the weather.

But that's it. As far as Aleph knows, the family has never met anyone else who could see demons who wasn't a demon themselves.

It's not so bad, seeing demons. They go through bug spray a lot faster when Beelzebub shows up every now and again, and sometimes instead of Naoki being woken up by his brothers a Pixie will pinch Naoki's nose until he bolts awake. And Kazuya and Aleph had the birds and the bees talk with Flynn a little early after Mara started hanging around.

Some of the demons are downright helpful, or at least cute. Inugami likes to be petted, like any other dog with a long belly. If Aleph asks them politely, most demons will bring him the TV remote.

Then there's the ones that talk to them.

Nadja is harmless. A small girl who came around the time of Naoki's youth and who has stayed small since. She was a playmate for Naoki and Flynn, but now that they've outgrown such things as playtime she's attached herself to Aleph, who is the one most often at home. Aleph lets her read over his shoulder and talks to her about the news, and it's nice to have the company.

Louis... is something. He first arrived after their parents left, and he makes Aleph uncomfortable in ways that other demons do not. He only visits occasionally, but Aleph has a habit of pointing the gun he bought and trained with to defend his family at him before giving in and letting him into their house.

He wouldn't really hurt Louis. But shooting him once or twice wouldn't really hurt him either.

At least he's a polite visitor, unlike some other demons. He just sets them all on edge for reasons still unknown to them. Ideas have been tossed around like 'he's stalking all of us so he can use us to lead a demon army' or 'we're all deeply phobic of men in suits', but none of them really hold up to examination.

Today they've already gone through the gun-pointing ritual and Louis is sipping tea at Aleph's table while Aleph watches the news. A boy born without full legs is now able to walk using mechanical limbs, a foreign war continues to take lives and shows no signs of stopping, and coming up-

"It always strikes me as strange," Louis comments.

Aleph looks over at him. "What does?"

"That you should live in such a comfortable world."

"What do you mean?" Aleph waves one hand vaguely at the television screen. "There are wars, and bombings, and people hating each other just for being something they don't like."

"But none of this has happened to you personally." Louis sets down his teacup. "In the other worlds I've been in, you would have been placed in the very thick of disaster. Here... I can't see any reason why you wouldn't live out a thoroughly normal life, and die happy in your old age."

"Is that a problem for you?" Aleph asks, shutting off the television.

"Only in what it means. You must understand that I have never wished you harm."

"I've pointed a gun at you," Aleph says. "Every time you've come over."

"Not even then." Louis smiles a little, though it stays at his lips and doesn't reach his eyes. "You have been... yes, 'blessed' is a fitting word. I hope that you remember this."

He leaves without another word, and Aleph is still mulling over what he said when his brothers return. Then, for a while, he puts it out of his mind.

The other demons make their appearances as always, but it takes Louis a year exactly to return. Flynn has a job, and Kazuya a different one; Naoki is still in the market but Aleph doubts he'll do well with his temper. Aleph still maintains the house and cooks.

One of them could afford to move out into an apartment, but would the demons follow them? Or would they live a life unknown to them before, one where spirits don't crowd their home and they can feel as if they were a normal person? It's not that they fear it. It's just that it seems strange.

Aleph is cooking when Louis appears. He looks up for a moment, then returns to watching the pot that's about to boil. "Welcome back."

"Is that all I receive?" Louis asks, sounding slightly affronted.

"Unless you want to take over the cooking, yes, it is. Hold on."

After the cooking is settled, Aleph turns his attention to Louis. "It's been a long time. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing as interesting as your life," Louis says.

Aleph raises an eyebrow. "I'm a homemaker. I cook and clean and I make sure my brothers get up in the morning."

"And I find that utterly fascinating, Aleph. Not the least part of which is that you don't consider seeing demons to be an interesting part of your life worth mentioning," Louis replies.

That is a fair point. "Well, they... honestly, they don't do that much."

"That's incorrect." Louis speaks with emphasis on every word. "Even when it appears they're doing nothing... what they have done for you and your brothers is enormous. The presence of this many demons around your home drowns out yours- they have kept you from His sight."

Aleph pauses. "He?"

"...I see this explanation will take longer than I thought."


End file.
